Open House Planned Regarding Arsenic Investigation Plans

The Bureau of Land Management and East Bay Municipal Utility District will hold an open house for residents of Ione and surrounding communities on Aug. 22 to discuss proposed remediation alternatives at an abandoned mine land site in Amador County.

The open house, part of a series of BLM and EBMUD meetings to keep residents informed of activities at the site, will be held at EBMUD Pardee Center’s McLean Hall, 3535 Sandretto Road, Valley Springs, from 7 – 8 p.m.

Remediation alternatives are presented in the Draft Engineering Evaluation and Cost Analysis for the abandoned mine investigation project on public lands at the Poison Lake Pond Complex site. The Draft EE/CA is available to the public at the Amador County Library in Jackson and the Ione Library in Ione. Investigations by EBMUD and BLM indicate that the subject pond waste sediments may be associated with the former Penn Mine, a historic copper mine approximately 1 mile east of the site across the Mokelumne River. A release of hazardous substances such as arsenic, copper, mercury and zinc may have occurred and could potentially continue if actions are not taken. The contaminants onsite pose human health and ecological risks through contact with surface soil and sediment transport to Camanche Reservoir.

"Since public health and safety is our top priority, we want the local community to be fully aware of our plans and actions and address any comments or questions the residents may have," said William Haigh, BLM Mother Lode Field Office manager.

The public is also invited to review the Draft EE/CA and provide comments to BLM by Sept. 23. Send comments to Peter Graves, AML/Hazmat Program Lead, California State Office, 2800 Cottage Way, Suite W-1623, Sacramento, CA 95825 or p15grave@blm.gov.